Lupo Bello
by Belet-Seri
Summary: Bitten at 16, a human mother and a werewolf father who knows nothing of her existence. A chance encounter leads her to search for more. A home, a family, and a life where she doesn't have to run from everything. Can this cocky 21 year old learn what it takes to survive among werewolves and the supernatural world? Rated M for language, violence, and later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One:

Thank god werewolf genes kept me alert, even when I hadn't slept in three days. I pulled in front of a coffee shop in the little town in Upstate New York and found my wallet stashed in the glove box. I opened the door to my little blue Ford and caught a scent on the breeze that made me stiffen and want to just drive away, but curiosity took over. _I guess curiosity didn't just kill the cat._

I followed my nose to a small park, even in the dark I could make out three figures standing in the center, fear and adrenaline spiked from one who stood defensively the other two seemed to be taunting him. _My curiosity and ego are going to kill me one day._ I thought as I walked forward.

"Their territory is New York _state_." I heard one say

"You do know what the Pack does to trespassers, don't you, pup? Your daddy must have shown you the pictures."

"Is there a problem here boys?" I asked as I sauntered into the conversation, still downwind so they couldn't smell me.

A whistle from the blonde wolf, who looked like a backwoods hick. "Not at all sweetie, but we'd love it if you joined us."

The big one with black hair looked over at me and I noticed the blonde girl looking terrified standing in front of him.

The wind shifted and I mentally swore. _Things are about to get interesting. _All three wolves tensed and the shorter two smiled.

"Well look at this Ramon." the blonde one muttered under his breath.

"She's a Sorrentino, Liam." the brown haired wolf, Ramon, said.

"You sure? I guess she could be. Bet her daddy is that pansy ass omega, Nicholas."

"I'm surprised your daddy or granddaddy let you go this far away from home."

_Lets keep this going…. might learn some things._ "Like you even know where my home is." I said rolling my eyes.

"Everyone knows the Sorrentino's live just outside New York City."

Derek POV:

I watched as she baited the two wolves in front of us. She was probably nineteen or twenty and looked like she was enjoying pulling information from them. She glanced at me and the look in her eyes said to get out of here, she'd handle them. I grabbed Chloe and pulled her behind me and shoved her to move. Sadly, they noticed.

"I've got Liam." She said grabbing the back of his shirt and swinging her fist into his face, pulling him down to the ground. I slammed Ramon into a climbing pole and pulled Chloe with me.

"You fuckers just don't give up do you?" The girl yelled and slammed her knee into Liam's groin and slammed his head into a metal slide with a sickening crunch.

She took off after us, running and catching up with me pretty quickly.

"I'm Serena by the way."

"Chloe, and that's Derek." Chloe panted as she tried to keep up with us.

"I've heard of those two, not good things, and I don't know about you, but I don't plan on sticking around."

Footsteps sounded behind us.

"Those fuckers don't give up do they?" Serena muttered.

She followed us through a puddle and then along a curb.

Liam caught up with us and him and I went down fighting.

A yelp of pain from Liam and Serena pulled me up, taking Chloe's knife out of Liam's thigh and slicing across the back of his knee and I didn't see what else but heard the screams.

Serena POV:

I sliced a few key ligaments in Liam's knee and flipped the knife closed and into my pocket. I tracked the two to the coffee shop I was parked in front of, both of them in the men's room. I headed in after them and saw Chloe wiping gravel from Derek's cheek.

I washed the blood off my arms and cleaned off the switchblade before handing it back to Chloe. Running my fingers through my hair I noticed blood splatter across the front of my sweatshirt and pulled it off.

"I don't know where you guys are going, what you're running from or to, or why you were in a park in the middle of the night with two werewolves and I'm not going to pry, but do you guys need a ride out of town or anything?"

Chloe shook her head. "We've got bus tickets, we'll be okay."

"At least let me buy you guys dinner, or at least coffee, or hot chocolate or something."

Derek watched me but nodded. "Fine."

Chloe was asking him questions as she cleaned off the blood. _They make a cute couple_.

I headed out into the main store and ordered a large coffee and a dozen donuts and a dozen cookies. Flirting with the barista got me another six cookies thrown in free, as we talked Derek and Chloe walked out and I added their hot chocolate to the order.

I sat the donuts and cookies down on the table between three chairs and handed each of them hot cocoa.

"Help yourselves." I said waving to the donuts and cookies.

I turned on my phone and searched for Nicholas Sorrentino. It'd make sense, considering my mother said she gave me my father's last name. Serena Aldabella Sorrentino- it couldn't be a coincidence that I shared the last name with a Pack werewolf and apparently looked a lot like him. Which was why I'd been bitten in the first place. Turns out the family owns a large company in New York City and when I found a picture of him it was like looking at a masculine version of myself.

I absentmindedly rubbed my arm and understood where I got my looks though my green eyes were all from mom, she was pretty, but I had more of the exotic, italian looks and a curvier build than she did, though the werewolf thing had made me lose most of my extra body fat.

"Our bus gets here in ten minutes. We should probably get going."

"Good luck guys. If you ever need a hand give me a call." I said handing them my cell phone number.

"Thanks." Chloe said as they left.

Closing time approached and I flirted more with the barista, he was cute in a city boy turned hometown kind of way, with shaggy brown hair and the build of a high school track star.

"So…. do you want to get out of here with me? I can close a few minutes early."

"Hmmm, it depends, how far away do you live?"

"Five minute walk."

"Then I guess it sounds like a plan."

I pulled on my shoes and snuck out the front door, running my hands through my wet hair and went back to my car before finding someplace open for breakfast.

The small diner was packed, and then I saw the two werewolves from last night, Liam and Ramon, sitting at the long bar like table. I slid up next to them.

"Surprised to see you walking blondie." I said quietly as the waitress walked away with my order.

"Bitch, you'll pay for that."

"Good luck with that." I racked my brain for the names of any Pack members I'd heard about. "Not sure Clayton and Elena will be too happy with that."

"You're not Pack." Ramon said.

"What makes you say that?"

"Clayton and Elena would be here by now if you were."

"Hmm. How do you know they're not?"

They both gave me a look that said they weren't stupid.

I knew I needed to get out of here carefully, if I didn't I was going to die, but damn, I was starving. _Too much fun last night. _I thought smiling at my antics last night and then the awesome night of sleep after.

My waffles got to me and I poured the syrup over them and added whipped cream before cutting them. I knew as long as I was in this diner I was safe from the two wolves sitting beside me - the moment I left was when things were going to get interesting. Though I had decided my next stop. Bear Valley, about 100 miles southwest of Syracuse, and from there, Stonehaven, about 40 minutes outside of Bear Valley. I was going to the Pack, I was going to find my father and see if I truly could find a home.

_A/N: this will probably be the only chapter involving the Darkest Powers or Darkness Rising Crew in this story._


	2. Chapter 2

Hey, sorry this chapter took so long to get up- between finals, my computer deciding to suddenly delete files (ten chapters, and 4 one-shot concept stories), and the fact that I re-wrote this at least a hundred times. Thanks for Reading!

* * *

Chapter Two:

_How the hell does a town survive shutting down at 6pm?!_ I questioned, struggling to find any place open to eat at - I was starving, but at least I was checked into the local motel. The smell of greasy bar food caught my attention and I found myself in a hole in the wall type bar.

Two cheeseburgers and two orders of fries later and my stomach was no longer trying to eat itself. For a Tuesday night, the bar was fairly busy, but few patrons were my age, or anywhere near it for that matter.

I took a deep breath and caught nothing but the chemical scent from my perfume. Yes, it meant I couldn't smell anything, but it also meant any Pack werewolves couldn't scent me.

The bartender handed me a second drink, interrupting my thoughts.

"I didn't order this." I said.

"The gentleman at the back table did."

I looked back and a redhead waved. The blonde guy at his table just laughed and shook his head at something the redhead said. I took my drink and headed over to the table.

"Thanks for the drink." I said throwing in a smile. "Is this seat taken?"

"No, go ahead. I'm Morgan by the way."

"Serena."

His friend made his escape, though something about him intrigued the hell out of me.

` A couple more drinks passed and I was starting to get tipsy, but most humans, especially girls my size, don't get "just tipsy" after 4 drinks, so I got to act plastered.

Two drinks later we were headed out the door together. He tangled his fingers in my hair and brought his lips to mine. Something was nagging at my alcohol fogged brain but I couldn't put my finger on it.

He held open the door to a Dodge Charger for me and I smiled, sliding in.

"Your place or mine?" He asked.

"I'm staying at the Lodge, so whatever is closer."

I was already half naked by the time we hit the bed. The nagging feeling hadn't gone away, but I ignored it. I was stronger than most, if not all, humans. I didn't have anything to worry about.

His cell phone rang, he ignored it, it started to ring again and he swore. "I've got to get that, I'm sorry."

I sighed as he went to find it in his pants that were currently across the room.

He came back buckling his belt. "That was my roommate, we've got an issue, I've got to go. Sorry."

"Okay, but come back if you get a chance." I said giving him a smile.

Morgan POV:

I was going to kill Reese if this wasn't important. I pulled into the driveway at Stonehaven and headed in, following my ears to the study.

"What's up?" I asked walking in.

"We've tracked down Andrew Lake, he's in New Yo-" Elena stopped nostrils flaring as a look crossed her face. "Where were you?"

"Bar, then the motel with a girl. Why?"

"Where is she?"

"Room 204. Why?"

"I think she's a werewolf - the scent is under that damn perfume, barely, but it's definitely different, we need to find her."

"Either she's an idiot, or is really naive, darling." Clay said.

"That's what worries me. Morgan, Reese, Clay and I will go find her -and then we'll figure out what to do about Lake."

I knocked on the motel room door, it swung open. Revealing a freshly showered Serena, her scent hit me and her eyes went wide as she caught mine.

"Well, I guess you were right." I said to Elena, shaking my head to clear her scent.

"You're Elena Michaels and you're Clayton Danvers." She said as they both stepped into the room. She was trying to stay calm but it was obvious she was terrified.

She sat on the bed and took a deep breath. "If you're going to kill me, will you at least tell me now?"

"We aren't going to kill you, at least unless you screw up badly enough or you have screwed up in the past."

"Define 'screwed up"

"Man-eating, man-killing, that sort of thing. Though we do severely question the trespassing."

"I was coming to see you guys- I learned some things and wanted to know if they were true. I just didn't want to show up in the dark and spook you."

Elena kept talking to her trying to figure out what she knew and why she was here - the only thing I really heard was the name that surprised us all.

"Serena Aldabella Sorrentino"

Serena POV:

They all went silent- and gave me another look, as if reevaluating me.

"Sorrentino?"

I nodded. "My mom gave me my father's last name."

"Who's your father?" Elena asked me.

"Nicholas Sorrentino."

"Will you come with us?"

I met the majority of the Pack, though my father and grandfather were apparently in Italy at the moment. Though Jeremy, the past alpha, informed me they were getting on the first plane back.

Elena pulled me into a room alone to talk to me. "How did you become a wolf?" She asked. I struggled to not give a sarcastic answer, but finally answered truthfully.

"I was bitten when I was sixteen. He was seventeen and didn't understand that I wasn't planning on an exclusive relationship - he bit me, and thought he could make me stay. I broke that little fantasy. When I was nineteen, I decided I wanted to go off by myself, I dropped out of college and took off- mom puts money in my bank account every week and I go back home every once in a while."

"Where is home?"

"Los Angeles."

"Does any of your human family know about what you are?"

"No, I knew it was probably something I should keep quiet. Though I did learn more from an Expisco half demon I ran into in Kansas, she told me more about the supernatural world."

"I'd like to invite you to stay with the Pack, for now at least. If you can follow the rules and get along, it may become more permanent."

"I'd like that, thank you."

I was sleeping on an air mattress in the same room as Reese and Morgan.

"Sorry about this." Elena had said. "We're a little short on room until the addition is finished."

I'd seen the construction outside, but didn't question it too much and was fine with sharing a room.

"We'll take the air bed." Morgan said as I put my bag in the room.

I looked at the king size bed. "I have no problem sharing a bed with you guys, as long as you keep your hands to yourselves."

"You didn't seem to want me to keep my hands to myself earlier tonight." He murmured in my ear.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Your point?"

"How about I actually take you out sometime? Not drinks, but dinner or something?"

"So now that you know I'm a werewolf I'm good enough to not be a one night stand?"

"Is that a no?"

I smiled as I headed out the door, my PJs in hand. "I never said that."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

Three months passed and I still hadn't gotten that date. It didn't help my ego that she kept a string of guys.

A blonde dressed in a short party dress walked past the kitchen door and popped her head in. "Hi, I'm a little lost- is the door that way?" She asked pointing toward the front of the house.

"Uh- yeah." Reese answered as Nick, Noah and I stood in shock.

"Kay, Thanks boys!"

After she was out of earshot Noah was the first to speak. "I know we're all thinking it- why the fuck was she here?"

"I obviously didn't bring her home." Reese said.

"Though we would have celebrated if you had." Nick said, jeering Reese about his celibacy thing.

"Well I didn't, though I would have loved to." I said.

"You?" Noah asked Nick, who shook his head. "Well Tonio is in Germany- so who..."

I'm pretty sure it dawned on us all at the same time.

"Bloody hell..." Reese muttered and Serena walked in, wearing short athletic shorts and a crop top.

"Bloody hell what?"

"Was that...?" Noah asked vaguely hooking his thumb toward the door.

"My bedmate for last night? Yes." She grinned. "What? Can't try something different now and then?"

"With that discovery- I'm going to work and going to hope this conversation never comes up again." Nick said grabbing his jacket and briefcase.

"I have a job interview today- it's for a job as a waitress at a restaurant in Manhattan."

"You know you always have a job at our company." Nick said to her. "But I hope it goes well."

"Thanks." She said as he left.

"You really don't seem like the waitress type." I said to her once Nick was out of earshot.

"Never said what type of waitress."

Reese left the kitchen, pulling Noah with him and I rolled my eyes. She pushed my chair back from the table and straddled my lap.

My expression must have matched the shock I felt because she laughed.

"Are you objecting?"

"Never said that." I said placing my hands on her hips to keep her still. "So does this mean I get that date sometime?"

"Want to go for a run?" _She's avoiding the question._ She always did that whenever I brought up a date.

"Let's go"

Serena POV:

I pulled my tank top over my head and tucked it under a bush with my shorts before crouching to all fours.

My bones started to crack and shift into canine shape and I whined- my skin stretched and my muscles moved. It felt like I was being skinned alive- though five years had gotten me somewhat used to the pain.

Finally I laid on my side panting, not even a lingering ache remained from the change, but I needed a moment to rest. Morgan stuck his muzzle through the brush and chuffed.

I gave a small whine and pulled myself to my feet as he stepped through. In this form, everything was less confusing.- including my feelings about Morgan. The wolf side of me wanted a mate for life- and really liked Morgan. The human side balked at the commitment- we'd tried it and it had failed, miserably.

I nuzzled him and he buried his nose in my neck and I backed away- everything may be less confusing, but I still wasn't sure about this. He rolled his eyes, nipped my muzzle and bolted. It took me a second to realize he wanted me to chase him. _Oh it's on._ I took off after him, letting my confusion melt away. He knew I was uncertain, hell, he wasn't sure if I liked him- but he wasn't going to push too hard, just enough to keep me moving.

I caught him, leaping onto his back and taking him down and the roles reversed. Tag seems less silly in wolf form.

I walked into Nick's office livid- first the issues at the interview, second the main secretary refused to call Nick or Tonio to let me up, then Nick's personal secretary refused to let me in to see him. He's my goddamn father for fucks sake.

"How'd your interview go?" He asked glancing up from his laptop and frowned. "That well, huh?"

"It barely got started. The manager told me if I was a good whore and spread my legs I was assured a job- I told him where to shove it, he got handsy, I broke his hand, and left."

"Damn."

"Is there still a job for me here?"

"If you answer one question."

"Shoot."

"You spent how long just going around the country letting your mother pay for everything- why the sudden want for a job?"

"I didn't just let mom pay for everything- I did various odd jobs as I found them, but I couldn't stay anywhere for long without risking some mutt deciding the lone, anchored female sounded like good odds. I really would rather have a job and go back to finish my degree."

"What were you planning on getting your degree in?"

I sat on the couch in his office. "I had started working toward an MBA and International Business Bachelor's when I dropped out."

"I'll talk to Tonio to figure out where to put you, but you can start whenever."

I got up and went over to hug him. "Thanks."

I had a feeling I could have lied and told him I was majoring in beer pong and I still would have job.

As I opened the front door Reese was coming down the stairs with a duffle bag. "Morgan's been trying to call you, get packed we're going to Stonehaven."

"What's going on?"

"Mutt we were tracking when you showed up. We've got a lead that he's in Syracuse and he is dangerous, we're heading up this evening and Nick and Tonio are following tomorrow morning." He must have seen my confusion. "He's killed, raped, and bitten multiple women and some girls as young as 12- he is a slick bastard and has the balls to trespass on our turf. Elena is taking no chances."

"Bitten? So he's creating more female werewolves?"

"Attempting too- they aren't living long enough to change."

I headed up the stairs and ran into Morgan. "Why haven't you been answering your phone?!" He asked loudly.

"It was on silent d

uring the interview and I guess I forgot to turn it back on."

"This guy is psychotic, we need to be able to reach you!"

"I'm sorry, but you know as well as I do I can handle myself just fine."

"I know- I just..." he shook his head. "Need any help getting packed?"

I shook my head.

"Okay."

I grabbed my duffle bag out of my closet and started packing- letting my mind wander as I pulled clothing out of drawers.

I got to drive, best of all- I got to drive Morgan's Challenger. I flipped through my music in the car's stereo via the wonderful invention known as Bluetooth and chose Led Zeppelin's Traveling Riverside Blues. Morgan groaned. I glared at him.

"Driver picks the music- shotgun shuts his cakehole." He rolled his eyes at me as we headed for Stonehaven- and the calm that was about to be broken.

_So sorry it took forever to get up - month from hell, including the unexpected death of one of my friends (he was only 22). A huge thank you to everyone who has been sticking with it and an even bigger thank you to the anonymous person who reviewed the story- you reminded me that I'm not just writing this for myself, but for all of you too. _


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

"When you said we were going to Stonehaven I figured we were going to be staying with the twins." I said as we walked down a dark road just off the college campus of Syracuse University. I stopped and pretended to tie my shoe, sniffing the pavement. We'd been following his trail for an hour now. Elena and I were the best trackers- but, being Alpha, Elena wasn't out hunting tonight. Clay had quickly kiboshed that idea in the name of safety.

Reese had been, for the most part, battle ready when he'd joined the Pack; I had joined some formal martial arts training and had a working knowledge of street fights and fighting bigger opponents; and Morgan had been working his ass off learning and was catching up quickly. Individually we might not be able to take down this mutt, but together he wouldn't stand a chance. Noah was at the hotel doing Calculus homework.

The scent I'd been following on the ground got stronger. "At least we're going in the right direction."

We kept walking and ended up in an older, more rundown section of the city. All of a sudden the scent was in the air and I swore.

Reese and Morgan both had their own epitaths to go along with mine. We were sent out to track him, find where he was, and NOT engage. We figured three of us would be enough of a deterrent from him coming after us, and our ages gave us a good excuse for walking around a college town.

He dropped out of the tree a few yards in front of us and I growled.

"Shut up Bitch, though I'm sure someone would love to hear his puppy growl again." Still downwind far enough that I couldn't smell him, another figure jumped from a fire escape into the light thrown by the street light and I back pedaled, ending with with my back against Morgan who steadied me. The familiar dark eyes and hair, along with the plains of his face struck a chord of fear in me.

"Steven..." I muttered, the new bulk of muscle and strange sheen to his eyes and skin suggested he hadn't been happy with the natural boost of being a werewolf and chose a chemical improvement.

"You okay?" Morgan murmured softly, almost invisibly rubbing my hand.

I didn't answer.

Two mutts hopped up on god only knows what kind of steroids vs three werewolves in our twenties. We needed back-up, which was about half an hour away, but this was our turf, we couldn't run. _Fuck._

I pressed the button that would send for the rest of the Pack- one of the nifty gadgets courtesy of Nick's kinda-sorta girlfriend, Vanessa.

"So what happened? Get your ass handed to you after I took off and decide you weren't man enough to deal with it? Decided to hope some chemicals make all your problems go away?" I laughed. "To bad your ego is bigger than your dick."

He roared in anger and charged like a bull on a mission. _Roid-rage... Now let's hope this works._

Within seconds all three of us were fighting.

"I'll show you Bitch!" Steven growled as he tried to pin me, I had a pretty good idea of what would happen if he did.

"So you can't get laid without raping? Sad, though I guess you always did have trouble keeping it up." He growled and started to fight harder, but the rage was pushing all rational thought aside, he lost all finesse, but gained strength. A fist to my solar plexis sent me flying backward and seeing spots, which turned to blackness as my head cracked against the pavement. _Well shit..._

I came too and tried to jump back up, still woozy.

Morgan dodged a punch to the face and it clipped his jaw instead. He kicked out the mutt's knee and moved back. Taking a second to pull me up. "Have a nice nap?"

"Shut up."

"Can you fight?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Not really."

A police cruiser turned the corner and flashed its lights- the mutts took off.

All three of us were bloody and bruised- I wish I could say that the other guys were in bad shape too... My ego isn't that over inflated. We weren't even fighting for that long.

"What happened here?" The officer asked getting out of his vehicle.

"We were out for a walk and were attacked." Morgan said putting an arm around me, I winced as he put pressure on my ribs.

"We're from out of town, they didn't take anything, but could you give us a ride back to our hotel?" I asked giving him a wide-eyed look.

"You need to make a statement."

"We didn't get a good look at them, it happened so fast." Reese said, swallowing as much of his accent as he could, and I nodded in agreement.

"Then you need to go to the hospital."

"Will you take us back to our hotel first? Then we could take ourselves to the hospital- I don't think we have any serious injuries and I know I'd rather at least have a change of clothes to take with me."

"Fine." He said. "Just promise me you will go to the ER."

"I promise." I said, still trying to act innocent.

I called Nick who was on the way with Antonio and Jeremy. "We're coming back to the hotel early." I told him, my tone must have said something happened."Our walk got interrupted, I'll tell you more when we get there."

"Are all of you okay?"

I looked at Reese who had a cloth pressed against his bleeding, surely broken nose, Morgan who winced when he took a breath and my current inability to focus on something for more than a minute at a time and the spots in my vision.

"For the most part."

We had him drop us off at the hotel down the block from ours and we snuck in a back door and Nick, Jeremy, Elena, and Clay were in our shared room.

"You all look like hell." Nick said as Jeremy and Elena sat us down and started evaluating injuries.

"So let me get this straight, Lake has now recruited another month and that mutt just happens to be the same guy that bit Serena and both are on steroids?" Nick asked Reese. I was barely processing everything between a decent concussion from my head bouncing on the pavement and the pain medication Jeremy had given me for that, a broken rib and several bruised ribs plus the fact my shoulder had apparently dislocated; how I hadn't noticed it? Your guess is as good as mine.

My alarm was supposed to be set for 8am to get the three of us up- but when I woke up and saw light coming through the west facing window I knew something was up. I slowly sat up and saw the note on top of the unplugged alarm. "_You three are out of commission for right now, relax and be careful. ~Elena_." Down below that in Nick's handwriting. "_You all look like hell- please avoid scaring the staff and other guests. So basically don't leave the room and call if you need anything._"

I rolled over and went back to sleep.

When I woke up again Reese had his laptop out and it looked like he was working on something for work, he also had two black eyes.

Morgan was surfing through the channels on TV still laying in bed. It took me a moment to realize why though, I was curled up with my head on his chest, which had nice black and blue bruises across it.

"Sorry, I said sitting up and almost fall back down as the room spun."

"You're fine, that side doesn't hurt too badly."

I cocked my head, hearing voices, that got me up as I tried to follow the sound.

"Where are you going?" Reese asked as I quietly opened the dividing door between ours and Antonio and Jeremy's room.

I put my finger to my lips and slipped in before putting my ear to the wall that separated this room from the next, which just happened to be Elena, Clay, and the twin's.

"It went south fast, yes, but how the hell could we have figured out it would be not just one, but two steroid fueled mutts? They did their part and figured out what we're dealing with, Darling." Clay's voice drawled.

"You heard Jeremy, if that cop hadn't showed up they would most likely all be dead. It was a bad call, we should have sent someone else with them."

"They attracted minimal attention, we don't have the media searching for the attack victims nor the attackers. They were able to talk that cop into dropping them off here, not booking them and not rushing them to the ER in an ambulance. And if you asked them, they'd do it again in heartbeat."

I backed away from the wall and ran into Reese as I tried to go back through the dividing door.

"Either you just stood there for five minutes listening to nothingness or you were eavesdropping."

"And?"

He rolled his eyes and sat back down. "Morgan, your woman is insane."

"I know." He said at the same time I said "I'm not his woman."

The next day we all looked somewhat less like we'd been beaten half to death- Reese's black eyes were fading, my concussion and bruises were healing, and Morgan could actually breath without pain. I ended up getting volunteered to take the twins swimming- which meant that I got to hope that the bruises across my ribs and back were faded enough to wear a bikini.

"So the bruises are faded enough that I don't look battered?" I asked spinning in front of Morgan. Reese had disappeared with Nick and Antonio, all three trying to keep the business going from the other side of the state.

He put his hands on my hips and stopped me. "Yes, they are, and you look fine."

I looked up at him and my breath caught. I backed away quickly. "I'm going to go see if Logan and Kate are ready."

I watched as Kate and Logan swam and splashed in the hotel pool, someone sat beside me and I glanced over. The chlorine overwhelmed every other scent.

"Is there a reason you seem to be avoiding the obvious tension between you two?" Reese asked.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Sure." He said giving me a glance that told me he knew better. "When you decide to get your head out of your ass, I'll listen. Though he's no better at the moment."

"What do you mean?"

"He teases you about it, but doesn't really think anything will happen between you two, hopes it will, but Morgan doesn't have his head as far in the clouds as it may seem."

"You're very perceptive."

After a moment he snorted, eyes glazed over as he watched the water. "Lot's of practice I guess."

"Reese, what happened?"

"Nothing important." He said and slid into the water.

_Everyone has their secrets.. Even me._


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

I smacked my fist into the punching bag and a strong roundhouse sent the heavyweight bag swinging. We had sent the two mutts running from New York state three weeks ago and I'd been training and working my ass off. I was going to kill those bastards.

They'd killed again. This time an apartment full of college roommates. The 3 guys had been slaughtered, and the twenty-two year old girl was missing. It was at that point I headed down to the basement instead of punching the wall. They'd found a paintbrush covered in blood and someone had written on the wall- but no one knew what it meant. I did. 16/7/2009- the day he bit me. Five years ago today. It was a message and I hoped for the girl's sake she was dead, or she'd wish she was if she survived.

"What happened? You stormed down here. We're all pissed off that we missed the chance to put them in graves before this happened-" Morgan started to say.

"It's none of your fucking business." I cut him off, I'd heard enough.

He grabbed my arms as I tried to throw another punch at the bag and I growled.

"Elena gave me the key to the cage- she's worried about you. Talk so I don't have to lock you up."

"Fine, let's go for a walk."

We went up through the hidden door that provided easy access to the basement. Once we'd made it away from the house I started talking.

"I told you guys I was bitten at 16, which is true- but I wasn't entirely honest about what happened afterward. Exactly five years ago today I was bitten. We'd been dating for a few months and I was thinking about studying abroad for university. He thought he would make me stay. I tried to leave after I'd recovered enough from the first changes, and figured out what the hell he'd done to me." I took a deep breath as the gravel road crunched beneath our shoes. "He caged and collared me, told me that I was just as much of a weakling as my father, but I did have spirit. He had decided he'd make me obedient. At that point I also learned he wasn't seventeen. I really don't want to go into detail, but it was hell on earth, actually, I'm convinced actual hell would have been preferable."

"How'd you get out?"

"Played his obedient pet for a few months and then drugged his food. Put enough horse tranquilizer in it and you can even knock out a wolf. I managed to get away and found my mom, convinced her to move and tried to forget. Thing is, that kind of trauma lingers, so I found my own way to cope."

"Like?"

"Sex and pot. Though I eventually dropped the latter. One let me control an aspect that was taken and the other let me try to forget."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"Do you tell everyone things you want to forget? If Reese is allowed to keep his secret, I should be allowed to keep mine."

That shut him up about telling anyone.

"So that's why you are terrified to go on a date with me."

"Drop it, Morgan."

And I'll give him the credit, he did.

"Come on, let's go back to the house, I have an idea."

I followed him as he jogged back to the house. "What kind of idea?"

"There's an awesome ice cream shop in Bear Valley, we can go up, get your mind off of all this, for a moment at least."

"Did you not just hear a word I-"

"Not a date, I promise." He said holding up his hands. "No date, nothing expected, just two friends going to get ice cream."

I raised an eyebrow. "Okay."

"I'll go let Elena know." He said and I leaned against his challenger. Reese, Nick and Tonio had gone back to New York- they still had a business to run.

He came back out, car keys in hand and we headed to Bear Valley.

"I can't believe you've never been to California." I said as I slowly ate the green mint and chocolate ice cream in front of me.

He shrugged. "Nova Scotia to Alaska to New York. I've been across a lot of places, but didn't actually explore any of them- except for the little hole in the wall town where I got arrested."

"What?"

"Long story short, don't trust pretty waitresses in diners."

"Oh you have got to tell me that story."

Half an hour passed as he told me of getting arrested in the small town of Westwood and managing to solve the disappearance of a kid- along with almost getting himself killed.

"Seriously? You've got a knack for getting yourself into trouble."

He laughed. "Not as bad as Reese- he managed to talk Nick into taking Noah to a brothel-"

"Seriously? A brothel? There are easier, safer, and cheaper ways to get laid." I said cutting him off.

"My story, hush." He teased. "Anyway, they get to the place and Reese realizes that the girls are rotting- but not quickly. Then they start decomposing- while still dressed in lingerie- turns out they were a type of zombie or demon or something."

"You all have this miraculous ability to get into the weirdest situations and live."

"Hey, you joined that club willingly."

I laughed. "I did."

* * *

_Sorry it's been taking so long to get chapters up- and it could be quite a while between this and the next (I hope not though) as the school year is starting back up and my schedule is packed. Plus I have another story begging to be put into words. Please let me know of any major grammar mistakes and forgive me for minor ones - science, math and art are my strong points, not English grammar._


	6. UpdateAuthors Note

It's offical- my computer hard-drive crashed. Along with any motivation to rewrite the lost chapters and attempt to piece this story back together. I've been trying to figure out what I meant to happen and am butchering the storyline. For right now I'm placing Lupo Bello on hold- I'll probably be changing the beginning chapters as I attempt to piece the story back together in a way that makes sense.

To everyone that has sent me reviews and notes of encouragement I love and appreciate all of you.

~Seri


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